Husted Identifies More Non-Citizens on Voter Rolls
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted announced Monday that his office identified an additional 385 non-citizens registered to vote in Ohio, 82 of whom have been identified as having voted in at least one election.
In all, Husted’s office identified 821 non-citizens on Ohio’s voter rolls, with 126 of those individuals having actually cast ballots. The total includes six non-citizens who registered to vote in Mahoning County and one who actually cast a ballot; two who registered to vote in Trumbull County and who also cast a ballot; and one who registered to vote but did not cast a ballot.
The office identified these non-citizens on the rolls using information provided by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles as applicants are required to provide documentation of their legal presence with their application for a state identification or drivers’ license. The non-citizens were identified by using a double confirmation process, which requires a registered voter to have provided documentation to the BMV indicating that they are a non-U.S. citizen two times before being flagged.
“In light of the national discussion about illegal voting, it is important to inform our discussions with facts. The fact is voter fraud happens, it is rare and when it happens, we hold people accountable,” Husted said.
Husted has conducted similar reviews of the Ohio’s Statewide Registered Voter Database in 2013 and 2015. As in those years, those 82 non-citizens that are registered to vote and have cast ballots will be immediately referred to law enforcement for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The 303 registered voters identified as non-citizens who have not cast a ballot will be sent letters informing them that non-citizens are not eligible to vote and requesting that they cancel their registration.
A follow-up letter will be sent to any individuals who still remain on the rolls after 30 days. Any non-citizens identified who remain on the rolls after being contacted twice will then be referred to law enforcement.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
